Exactly Why Most Churches Have Changed on Many Issues

Pat Donahue

 My friend John Gibson recently gave me an interesting quote from a few decades back by Anthony Dunnavant in the Orange County (California) Register – “Some conservative groups believe that divorced people who marry another spouse are living in sin.  However, the number of divorces in the United States has led most denominations away from that teaching.”

First, it is easy to establish that “divorced people (unless they have put away their spouses for fornication – Matthew 19:9a) who marry another spouse are living in sin.”  Matthew 5:32b and Luke 16:18b both say whoever marries a divorced person commits adultery.  This was even true in John the Baptist’s day, as he told Herod that it was “not lawful … to have” his spouse (she still belonged to her original husband – Mark 6:18).

But what is most disturbing about the above Dunnavant quote is the reason churches have moved away from what the Bible clearly teaches on this subject.  It is not because an honest investigation of the scriptures has caused many to change their views and practices on divorce; the quote suggests it is because of the multiplicity of divorces.  Preachers have quit teaching the truth on the topic because there was so much sin – they decided to give in to the sin!

What about the church you are a member of?  Have they followed suit?

For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears; And they shall turn away their ears from the truth … (II Timothy 4:3ff).